The Forbidden
by LuvMira
Summary: NathanielXOC AU Our heroine, Princess Eve, is from a period of samurai and ninja and is stuck in a feud between clans. At the oddest of times, a stranger appears in their castle. He claims to be a scholar and yet there is something strange and even... cold about him. What is his story and why is Eve so interested in him?


**Chapter One: Newcomer**

"Princess! Don't let go of my hand!"

"If we keep up like this, you'll die too!"

"I don't care. I promised that I would never let you go!"

"I'm sorry… But you did your best. I love you, Nathaniel."

"Wait! Princess! No!"

-

The night was a chilly one, especially compared to the majority of nights in spring. A light shawl draped around a young woman as she stood on her balcony. Her eyes lifted to the clear sky, immediately noticing the brightest star. It was something she had grown fascinated with, the night sky that is. The way that such things gleamed in complete darkness intrigued her.

She was no scholar, nor was she a sailor but she could chart the stars as if she were either. Tonight, the moon was hidden in shadows, making the night seem far darker than she would have liked. Perhaps that was why the night was so cold?

"Princess?"

Turning abruptly, the girl noticed her closest handmaiden, Violette. Her purple locks had hidden her face as she kept her head down respectfully. In her arms lied a new night gown, possibly a gift from the king himself. It was a lovely green color, something perfect for spring. Yet, much like the other gifts, did not match her personality at all.

The passing of the queen had proven how little the princess and king knew of each other. The only time they spent together was at supper and even then, they spoke little.

"The king wished for me to help you put these on," Violette said. Her voice was fragile and small, something the princess had grown to adore. Most servants seemed to have very little class, but Violette was respectful and a wonderful person. She wasn't there for any stupid reason, such as money or a way to gain access to royal men. No, the purple haired girl was there for arts. After sitting down and painting and knitting with each other, the two had grown quite close.

Violette was someone who had been there when she was needed most, when a mother disappeared completely.

That had been almost a year ago and still, certain things were to be fixed between them.

"Violette, I thought I told you to call me by name." A smile spread across the royal girl's face as she exited her balcony, closing the door behind her. Starting with her duties, Violette placed the gown down and started to help her mistress disrobe. It was a regular thing that the two cared little of now.

"Yes, Eve. My apologies."

"Must you act so formal? I thought we were friends." It didn't take a keen eye to see the handmaiden's eyes go to the door, obviously acknowledging another presence. Was that why she was so uneasy?

The minute she was dress, Eve placed her shawl around herself and gave a good distance between herself and Violette. It was rude to show relations in front of people, even if it was mere friendship between staff and royalty. "Enter."

The door opened silently and at an easy pace, showing that a mere servant wasn't entering. It wasn't her father either, since the door would have swung open. No, this was someone new… Someone different…

"Apologies, Princess. I meant to knock before you became aware of me."

Standing before her was a young man, perhaps no older or younger than her. His hair was the color of the sun and tied into a braid in the back. A velvet suit adorned his figure while light glasses sat on the bridge of his nose. He was taller than her, no doubt. He looked like nobility and yet, she got an odd sense from him.

He was not like anyone she had ever seen.

"And you are?" Her arms crossed, showing a sort of closed off notion while keeping her shawl intact. Violette did not move but instead kept her fingers intertwined in front of her and her head down. The whole scene was not something Eve saw every day.

"My name is Nathaniel. I have come here in hopes of expanding my knowledge on your country. Your father has graciously allowed me to stay for however long I like. Since it might take me quite a bit, I thought it wise to introduce myself as soon as possible." He bowed then, his hand twirling in front before resting above his waist. It was not a custom bow in her country, but she recognized it when she saw it.

"I see. If I may ask, what sort of knowledge are you hoping to obtain?"

"With all due respect, you may not ask." Eve looked directly at Nathaniel the moment he said such a thing. It wasn't something she was expecting nor had she heard it before. This man, this stranger, was quite the character. He just happened to show up and then spoke like this?

Eve would have liked the opposite, but she found herself engrossed in him. She wanted to know more about him and what else he had to hide. He seemed very intellectual and though she bored of her lessons, wouldn't mind learning from him. He was even good looking.

"It's not to hide anything…" He looked down and scratched his head, all of a sudden. That cold look in his eyes had changed into something sheepish. "It's just that I'm not sure what I will find. I wouldn't want to give you any wrong assumptions, your highness." He bowed his head to her before offering a smile. It was a debonair smile, probably something rehearsed.

"If you would allow me, may I be excused for the night? I do not wish to take up any more of your time." He chuckled lightly as he rose completely, his hand now reaching for a briefcase that Eve had just acknowledged. Perhaps he really was just a scholar? If he was, then why did she get this feeling that there was more to him?

"You may go," she said with a nod, her gaze returning to Violette. The poor girl had not moved and Eve found herself worrying that her neck might cramp up. "Oh, and Nathaniel." A last minute thought ran across her mind the minute she heard the door start to close behind him.

"Yes, your highness?"

"I do hope our country is to your liking." She smiled over her shoulder to him, her kimono falling slightly over her shoulder. The light that peeked through the papered doors cast a shadow on her. Perhaps she looked intimidating? Or did she look more… inviting?

A blush did seem to cross his cheeks before he wished the two women a pleasant night.

The second he left, Violette relaxed. Her eyes went immediately to Eve and spoke her concerns. "I don't trust him. There's something that doesn't fit." The princess grabbed the girl's wrist and dragged her to one of the small couches sitting a few feet from the bed. A coffee table rested in the center with books and papers and her day clothes. Not for long however since Violette immediately started to tidy the moment she was seated.

"What do you mean, Vi?" Eve didn't bother to stop her. She had tried before but the girl refused to stop working, in case someone was to find them and possibly try to fire her.

"He said he is here to study and yet, he has weapons with him." Her anxiety showed very well; Violette not being the type to hide her emotions.

"Weapons? What kind of weapons?"

"Shuriken, kunai, swords, daggers… And even a firearm." She stopped arranging the table to look seriously at Eve. "What if he's lying and something happens to you?"

"That's not going to happen."

The two women rose immediately, looking to the balcony door. The outline of a person could be seen and Eve cursed herself for not noticing it earlier. Moving forward, she opened the doors to see none other than the captain of the guard.

"Castiel. You should announce your presence rather than eavesdrop on women."

"Do not mock me, Princess. It's my job to eavesdrop. What if something were to happen? I need to be aware of everything in the palace." The dark haired warrior stood on the balcony, his hair tied back and light armor covering him. His arrogance was one of his less tolerant qualities, but since he was so skilled her father allowed it.

"That Nathaniel is a strange one but he didn't seem to know how to handle the weapons. I passed his room and he was examining the wrong end of the firearm. Perhaps he collected them to study as well." Castiel seemed to be saying this mainly to Violette, his gaze becoming more critical. "Nothing will happen under my watch. I will not let the royal family come to harm."

He bowed his head at that and wished the women a good night before jumping off of the balcony and continuing his patrol.

Eve closed the door before looking back to Violette. Her head had been down again. "Hey, Vi?"

"Yes, Eve?"

"I don't think I'm tired enough for bed. Do you think you could go to the kitchen and bring me some warm tea?" Violette rose without question, picked up Eve's day clothes, and started for the door. "Oh, and Vi? Get something for yourself too." She smiled back at her friend before allowing the girl to leave.

The minute she was sure that her handmaiden had left, she exited her door and wandered down the bedroom hall. Her father's room was at the very end with the large double doors. Two guards were posted outside, showing that he was indeed resting. Not wanting to disturb, she turned back and looked around. One door was cracked, a stream of light illuminating the dark hallway. She could hear papers shuffling within and quickly moved to the side to look.

Nathaniel's room was very messy with papers scattered, weapons hung up, and other strange sculptures lining the shelves. His suitcase was wide open on the desk and she could just make out a letter from someone obviously very important. What was most eye-catching was the snowy owl perched on a bird stand near the open window.

What kind of man was he? What was he studying?

Suddenly, she felt herself get yanked from the hallway and into the room. Her heart stopped almost immediately as her body was pressed hard against the wall, the whole movement going too fast to register.

In front of her stood Nathaniel with his sun colored hair and cold eyes again. His stare was dark and almost empty of all emotion. Her eyes then noticed the gleam off of the small dagger in his hand, pointed right at her throat.

She wanted to scream but found that she couldn't. All she could do was choke out, "Wait! Wait!"


End file.
